July is National Blueberry Month — Did You Know?

Every month I glance over the “official” holidays, and it’s official: July is National Blueberry Month. Here are some great links to resources for cooking with blueberries. Blueberries are consistently ranked as a super-food – fruit packed with nutrition and disease fighting antioxidants.

If you find a “you-pick” blueberry farm near you, pick way more than you can consume fresh–blueberries freeze well. Wash them and let them drain dry. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and pour blueberries into the pan, making sure they are in one even layer and that there is a bit of space among them all. Place in freezer. Use the paper to tip them into small zip-close plastic freezer bags or any freezer-safe container. Now when you need a taste of summer six months from now, that taste will be as close as your freezer. (Have a look at this calendar for blueberry festivals across the nation.)

And then check out these savory recipes so you can try something new–blueberries aren’t just for muffins and pies, you know!

This recipe from Oregon Blueberries includes onions, sherry, balsamic vinegar and blueberries on a pork tenderloin. Be bold–I would put this on top of a Laura’s Lean Beef Tenderloin any day.

WineLoversPage.com has this piece on blueberry sauce for meat and a bit of information about pairing a good wine with your dish.

Eating Well puts blueberries together with sliced steak and feta cheese in a spinach salad for one of my all-time favorite combos, the trifecta of beef, spinach and cheese.

Have a go at just mixing a cupful of fresh blueberries into ground beef and shaping that into burgers. Top this with something mild (such as fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves) for a twist on a simple burger.

Go wild. And then? Then you should share your discoveries with us here at Laura’s Lean Beef!

2 Responses to July is National Blueberry Month — Did You Know?

Thank you so much for the e mail on my favorite Ground Beef I can only find at Kroger’s. Never have found any other of your lean meats at my store here. I use LOTS of ground beef. Thanks for reminding me to add some healthy blueberries to my ground beef for a simple healthy burger this hot weather in Texas.
LOVE YOUR SITE. Keep up your good work, and share occassionally coupons ….